EMMERTON AND MURSAK RETURN
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins on Thursday welcomed back center Cory Emmerton and right wing Jan Mursak on assignment from the Detroit Red Wings.
Emmerton, 22, made his NHL debut and scored the Wings’ lone goal during their 4-1 loss to Chicago last Saturday, becoming the 115th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL. He also appeared in last night’s 3-1 win over New Jersey and averaged 8:20 in ice time through the two contests.
Detroit’s first choice (41st overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Emmerton notched Grand Rapids’ season-high six-game assist streak (Oct. 23-Nov. 6) and ranks among the Griffins’ leaders with 17 assists (T3rd) and 23 points (T5th) in 33 games, despite missing 12 contests due to injury in December.
Mursak, who turned 23 on Jan. 20, averaged 8:30 in ice time over 14 games with Detroit since his Dec. 27 recall. That night, he made his NHL debut during Detroit’s 4-3 overtime win at Colorado, becoming just the second Slovenian-born player to play in the NHL (Los Angeles’ Anze Kopitar). Two weeks later, while again visiting the Avalanche, Detroit’s fifth choice (182nd overall) in 2006 notched his first NHL goal in the Wings’ 5-4 loss.
Mursak, who recorded a season-high eight-game point streak (Oct. 16-Nov. 6) for Grand Rapids, also ranks among the Griffins’ leaders with 10 goals (T4th) and 23 points (T5th) in 33 outings.
Both Emmerton and Mursak are expected to be in the Griffins’ lineup on Friday when they host the Rockford IceHogs at 7 p.m.
Emmerton, 22, made his NHL debut and scored the Wings’ lone goal during their 4-1 loss to Chicago last Saturday, becoming the 115th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL. He also appeared in last night’s 3-1 win over New Jersey and averaged 8:20 in ice time through the two contests.
Detroit’s first choice (41st overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Emmerton notched Grand Rapids’ season-high six-game assist streak (Oct. 23-Nov. 6) and ranks among the Griffins’ leaders with 17 assists (T3rd) and 23 points (T5th) in 33 games, despite missing 12 contests due to injury in December.
Mursak, who turned 23 on Jan. 20, averaged 8:30 in ice time over 14 games with Detroit since his Dec. 27 recall. That night, he made his NHL debut during Detroit’s 4-3 overtime win at Colorado, becoming just the second Slovenian-born player to play in the NHL (Los Angeles’ Anze Kopitar). Two weeks later, while again visiting the Avalanche, Detroit’s fifth choice (182nd overall) in 2006 notched his first NHL goal in the Wings’ 5-4 loss.
Mursak, who recorded a season-high eight-game point streak (Oct. 16-Nov. 6) for Grand Rapids, also ranks among the Griffins’ leaders with 10 goals (T4th) and 23 points (T5th) in 33 outings.
Both Emmerton and Mursak are expected to be in the Griffins’ lineup on Friday when they host the Rockford IceHogs at 7 p.m.